NameCensus.

UK surname

Kinsman

A surname referring to a relative or family member, often from the male side of the family.

In the 1881 census there were 599 people recorded with the Kinsman surname, ranking it #5,842 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 580, ranked #8,938, down from #5,842 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Redruth, St Agnes and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cornwall and Torridge.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Kinsman is 689 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 3.2%.

1881 census count

599

Ranked #5,842

Modern count

580

2016, ranked #8,938

Peak year

1901

689 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Kinsman had 599 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,842 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 580 in 2016, ranked #8,938.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 689 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Kinsman surname distribution map

The map shows where the Kinsman surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Kinsman surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Kinsman over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 589 #4,340
1861 historical 434 #5,933
1881 historical 599 #5,842
1891 historical 608 #6,315
1901 historical 689 #6,361
1911 historical 621 #6,661
1997 modern 617 #7,988
1998 modern 614 #8,252
1999 modern 610 #8,353
2000 modern 608 #8,356
2001 modern 589 #8,405
2002 modern 611 #8,349
2003 modern 606 #8,261
2004 modern 615 #8,203
2005 modern 585 #8,422
2006 modern 569 #8,612
2007 modern 570 #8,676
2008 modern 577 #8,660
2009 modern 574 #8,880
2010 modern 567 #9,148
2011 modern 573 #8,984
2012 modern 583 #8,784
2013 modern 593 #8,818
2014 modern 592 #8,900
2015 modern 589 #8,850
2016 modern 580 #8,938

Geography

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Where Kinsmans are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Redruth, St Agnes, London parishes, Worplesdon , Ash and Gwennap. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Cornwall and Torridge. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Redruth Cornwall
2 St Agnes Cornwall
3 London parishes London 3
4 Worplesdon , Ash Surrey
5 Gwennap Cornwall

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cornwall 029 Cornwall
2 Torridge 008 Torridge
3 Cornwall 017 Cornwall
4 Cornwall 013 Cornwall
5 Cornwall 001 Cornwall

Forenames

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First names often paired with Kinsman

These lists show first names that appear often with the Kinsman surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Kinsman

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Kinsman, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Ageing Communities

Nationally, the Kinsman surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Kinsman household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Kinsman is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Kinsman is most concentrated in decile 1 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Kinsman falls in decile 4 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Kinsman is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Kinsman, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Kinsman

The surname KINSMAN originated in England during the medieval period, likely emerging in the 13th or 14th century. It is an occupational surname derived from the Old English words "cyn" meaning "kin" or "family" and "man" meaning "person." The name was originally given to individuals who were closely related to a prominent family or clan, serving as a trusted advisor or confidant.

One of the earliest known references to the name KINSMAN can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire, dated 1379, which mentions a John Kynesman. These records were administrative documents used by the English Exchequer to keep track of financial transactions and land holdings.

In the 15th century, the name appears in various historical documents, such as the Feet of Fines for Essex in 1464, which records a land transaction involving a William Kynesman. The KINSMAN surname was particularly prevalent in the counties of Yorkshire, Essex, and Suffolk during this time period.

A notable figure bearing the KINSMAN name was Sir Thomas Kinsman (c. 1450 - 1515), a wealthy merchant from London who served as the Lord Mayor of the city in 1509. He played a significant role in funding the construction of the famous Hampton Court Palace for King Henry VIII.

Another prominent individual with this surname was John Kinsman (1566 - 1619), an English clergyman and academic who served as the President of Corpus Christi College, Oxford, from 1611 until his death.

In the 17th century, the KINSMAN name was found in various records, including the Parish Registers of Ipswich, Suffolk, which mentioned the baptism of a Robert Kinsman in 1642. Additionally, a Thomas Kinsman (1633 - 1705) was a notable English historian and antiquarian who wrote extensively about the history of Bath and the surrounding region.

During the 18th century, the KINSMAN surname continued to appear in historical records, particularly in the counties of Yorkshire and Essex. One notable figure from this era was William Kinsman (1720 - 1786), a successful merchant and landowner from Newington, Surrey.

In the 19th century, the KINSMAN name gained further prominence with individuals such as Samuel Kinsman (1788 - 1859), a British naval officer who participated in the Battle of Trafalgar and later served as the Commander-in-Chief of the East Indies Station.

These examples demonstrate the long-standing presence of the KINSMAN surname in various parts of England, spanning several centuries and encompassing individuals from diverse backgrounds, including merchants, clergy, academics, and military personnel.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Kinsman families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Kinsman surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Cornwall leads with 213 Kinsmans recorded in 1881 and an index of 31.93x.

County Total Index
Cornwall 213 31.93x
Devon 64 5.22x
Middlesex 42 0.71x
Fife 40 11.47x
Surrey 35 1.22x
Lancashire 27 0.39x
Hampshire 22 1.82x
Cheshire 20 1.54x
Angus 18 3.30x
Midlothian 16 2.03x
Warwickshire 16 1.08x
Yorkshire 13 0.22x
Gloucestershire 11 0.95x
Berkshire 9 2.04x
Kent 9 0.45x
Royal Navy 9 12.82x
Glamorgan 6 0.58x
Wiltshire 6 1.15x
Cumberland 5 0.99x
Leicestershire 5 0.77x
Northumberland 5 0.57x
Nottinghamshire 2 0.25x
Somerset 2 0.21x
Sussex 2 0.20x
Bedfordshire 1 0.33x
Brecknockshire 1 0.85x
Herefordshire 1 0.41x
Hertfordshire 1 0.25x
Merionethshire 1 0.93x
Shropshire 1 0.20x
Staffordshire 1 0.05x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Gwennap in Cornwall leads with 81 Kinsmans recorded in 1881 and an index of 643.88x.

Place Total Index
Gwennap 81 643.88x
Frimley 22 268.95x
Stoke Damerel 20 23.30x
St Agnes 18 192.72x
Totnes 15 209.21x
Hackney London 13 3.94x
Birmingham 12 2.42x
West Calder 12 77.12x
Southill 11 1078.43x
Saltash 10 193.42x
Skelton In Guisbrough 10 63.33x
Dundee 9 4.42x
Madron Penzance 9 37.10x
Portsea 9 3.80x
Royal Navy 9 15.00x
Stratton 9 248.62x
Week St Mary 9 857.14x
Chelsea London 8 4.51x
Cupar 8 52.74x
Forfar 8 27.06x
St Andrews 8 50.41x
West Derby 8 3.91x
Acton 7 20.27x
Burntisland 7 71.79x
Treneglos 7 2058.82x
Barton Upon Irwell 6 11.40x
Clifton 6 10.27x
Morwenstow 6 365.85x
Over 6 45.39x
St Leonards 6 384.62x
Sunninghill 6 97.72x
Bramhall 5 92.76x
Camberwell 5 1.33x
Chester St Mary On Hill 5 44.80x
Chirton 5 25.20x
Exeter St Thomas The 5 40.00x
Kilkhampton 5 253.81x
Oldham 5 2.22x
Rochester St Margaret 5 23.58x
South Petherwin 5 299.40x
Southwark St George Martyr 5 4.22x
St Germans 5 107.53x
Wemyss 5 33.88x
Aberdare 4 5.68x
Northam 4 44.74x
Redruth 4 21.20x
Tormoham 4 7.71x
Twyford 4 138.41x
Bideford 3 22.83x
Dodbrooke 3 123.46x
Forrabury 3 500.00x
Habergham Eaves 3 4.69x
Kensington London 3 0.92x
Liskeard 3 26.88x
Mylor 3 67.11x
Newlyn 3 105.26x
Northwood 3 17.44x
Salisbury St Edmund 3 35.89x
Sandhurst 3 35.01x
Shoreditch London 3 1.17x
St Juliot 3 666.67x
Whitehaven 3 11.09x
Whitwood 3 36.19x
Birkenhead 2 1.93x
Blatchinworth 2 12.56x
Bristol St Paul In 2 6.50x
Bristol St Stephen 2 66.67x
Creich 2 256.41x
Dunton Bassett 2 243.90x
Edgbaston 2 4.34x
Falmouth 2 8.47x
Lambeth 2 0.39x
Leicester St Mary 2 3.79x
Maker 2 32.47x
Nottingham St Mary 2 0.97x
Salisbury St Martin 2 36.90x
South Leith 2 2.25x
Tavistock 2 14.32x
Tranmere 2 4.18x
Willesden 2 3.60x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Kinsman surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Mary 37
Elizabeth 29
Jane 15
Sarah 14
Ann 11
Ada 10
Eliza 9
Alice 7
Emma 7
Ellen 6
Grace 6
Catherine 5
Emily 5
Jessie 5
Amelia 4
Anne 4
Charlotte 4
Kate 4
Margaret 4
Ruth 4
Annie 3
Edith 3
Fanny 3
Louisa 3
May 3
Susan 3
Bessie 2
Betsy 2
Caroline 2
Clara 2
Eleanor 2
Elizth. 2
Florence 2
Gertrude 2
Jessy 2
Lydia 2
Maria 2
Martha 2
Minnie 2
Anita 1
Aurelia 1
Beatrice 1
Bertha 1
Eleonor 1
Elizbth.A. 1
Harriett 1
Helen 1
Helena 1
Henrietta 1
Unity 1

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Kinsman surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
John 36
William 36
Thomas 19
James 14
Henry 11
Richard 10
Alfred 6
George 6
Joseph 6
Albert 5
Charles 5
Samuel 5
Simon 5
Daniel 4
Edward 4
Robert 4
Walter 4
Arthur 3
Francis 3
Frederick 3
Harry 3
Thos. 3
Ernest 2
Frank 2
Levi 2
Willie 2
Clarence 1
Claude 1
David 1
Edwin 1
Gerald 1
Gordon 1
Harold 1
Horton 1
Jabez 1
Jame 1
Josiah 1
Melchizedek 1
Moses 1
Nicholas 1
Oliver 1
Percy 1
Richd. 1
Ron 1
Sam 1
Sidney 1
Sydney 1
Vivian 1
W.C. 1
Willm. 1

FAQ

Kinsman surname: questions and answers

How common was the Kinsman surname in 1881?

In 1881, 599 people were recorded with the Kinsman surname. That placed it at #5,842 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Kinsman surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 580 in 2016. That gives Kinsman a modern rank of #8,938.

What does the Kinsman surname mean?

A surname referring to a relative or family member, often from the male side of the family.

What does the Kinsman map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Kinsman bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.